Orchestrated Insights
Making the complex science of resource coordination simple, practical, and accessible for modern business leaders.
Written by
Patrick W Meehan
Originally featured on Sales Inc's Natural Light series, this conversation explores the unconventional path from cognitive robotics research to transforming how businesses coordinate their resources.
The Story Behind the Science
Sometimes the most transformative technologies emerge from the most unexpected questions. In a recent conversation with Nicholas Forsyth of Sales Inc as a part of their Natural Light series, our founder Dr. Colm Flanagan shared the unconventional journey that led to HIROCO's breakthrough in Multi-Agent Orchestration (MAO) – and why the path from academic research to real-world impact is rarely straightforward.
Set in Sales Inc's Surry Hills loft, this candid discussion goes beyond the typical AI hype to reveal the real process of turning breakthrough research into practical solutions that transform operations.
Beyond the Robot Revolution That Never Came
The conversation begins with a question Colm has been asked many times over the past few years: why don’t we have household robots yet? It’s a fair question, and it’s often framed through comparison with other AI technologies such as ChatGPT. The logic goes: if we can solve something as complex as full language comprehension, then surely the intelligence required for a domestic robot to perform simple household tasks must already exist.
The answer is both yes and no. The challenge is twofold. First, large AI models like ChatGPT aren’t particularly useful for robots, because robots often need to make decisions in real time. That means the software has to run locally, and systems of this scale simply can’t. Second, robots themselves are awkward: they don’t move smoothly, they bump into things, and they’re still extremely expensive.
But this question reveals a deeper issue Colm has observed while working in AI: the belief that one AI system can solve every problem. Robots are a fundamentally different kind of technology that demand different types of solutions. Solving one problem with one approach doesn’t mean we’ve solved them all.
The $2.3 Trillion Question
In this segment, Colm and Nick discuss one of the most unknown yet staggeringly impactful problems facing businesses with complex operational environments today: the massive waste in how businesses coordinate their supply chain resources. Supply chain planning alone represents a $2.3 trillion annual gap between optimal and actual performance.
This isn't just about logistics companies or manufacturing plants. Every business that manages people, equipment, time, or materials faces the same fundamental challenge: How do you coordinate multiple resources to achieve optimal outcomes?
Rethinking AI Implementation: Why Most Companies Get It Wrong
This conversation reveals a critical mistake that many companies make when implementing AI. Not understanding the key differences between different types of AI for the problems they're trying to solve. Consider the supply chain, by way of example. Moving goods from A to B requires the careful coordination of multiple assets, at multiple locations, doing multiple things. People often confuse this orchestration with simple automation, but there's a key difference.
Automation vs. Orchestration
Automation executes predefined tasks faster
Orchestration coordinates multiple agents toward optimal outcomes
"Most companies automate their existing processes and wonder why they don't see transformational results," Colm explains. "But true transformation comes from orchestration – ensuring each agent performs the right action at precisely the right time."
This distinction explains why many AI initiatives deliver incremental improvements rather than breakthrough value. They're solving the wrong problem.
First Principles Thinking in Action
The breakthrough came through applying ‘first principles thinking’ to resource coordination challenges. Instead of asking "How can we make this process faster?" The question became "What is the core challenge, and how can we solve this from the ground up.?
This shift in perspective led to the development of MARTAS (Multi-Agent Resource Task Allocation System) – that acts as one part of our ‘core engine’ which uses advanced logical reasoning to guarantee mathematically optimal solutions rather than offering statistical "best guesses."
From Cognitive Robotics to Business Transformation
The principles that emerged from cognitive robotics research – understanding how agents can anticipate and adapt to changing conditions through contextual understanding – proved surprisingly relevant to business operations.
Whether coordinating robots in a research lab or managing resources across a supply chain, the fundamental challenge remains the same: How do you create systems that enhance human capability rather than replace it?
The Human-Centered Difference
What makes HIROCO's approach unique isn't just the technology – it's the philosophy behind it. Drawing from Human-Centered AI (HCAI) principles, our solutions are designed to amplify human decision-making rather than automate it away.
"We don't replace human expertise – we enhance it," Colm emphasises. "Our technology works alongside people, respecting existing processes while revealing new possibilities for operational success."
Making Complex Coordination Intuitive
The conversation touches on a key insight: the most powerful technology often appears simple to use, even when it's solving incredibly complex problems behind the scenes.
This philosophy of "elegantly powerful" solutions – making sophisticated capabilities accessible through simple interfaces – reflects HIROCO's commitment to transforming operational complexity into orchestrated intelligence.
What This Means for Your Business
The discussion reveals practical insights for any organisation dealing with resource coordination challenges:
Question Your Assumptions: What is the problem you're trying to solve and have you got the right solution for it
Think Beyond Automation: Consider orchestration over simple process automation
Focus on Coordination: Individual agent success matters less than how well they work together
Embrace Adaptation: Static plans fail; dynamic orchestration succeeds
About Sales Inc's Natural Light Series
Natural Light is Sales Inc's exceptional video series celebrating the luminous spirit of entrepreneurs and industry leaders. Set in their Surry Hills loft, the series goes beyond transactions and titles to reveal the passions, challenges, and drive that shape remarkable journeys.
We're grateful to Sales Inc for their commitment to celebrating the entrepreneurial stories that illuminate the path to innovation.
HIROCO figures out the best way to move your resources around. Through AI-powered Multi-Agent Orchestration technologies, we enable businesses to make complex planning and resource decisions – faster, simpler, and more effectively. The result: operational complexity transformed into orchestrated intelligence.
